John (Jack) Leonard Miller was born on November 3, 1889 in Dayton, Kentucky. At 12 he left home and traveled around the country. He worked as a coal miner in Danville, Virginia and a harvester in the Midwest. Because of his interest in workers' rights, Miller joined the United Mine Workers while in Virginia. He joined the Socialist Party while he was in Canada and the Industrial Workers of the World (I.W.W.) in 1916. He moved to Seattle in early 1916 and was on board the VERONA during the Everett Massacre of November, 1916. He married Violet Wilson in 1924. Miller held various jobs and began writing. He continued to rally for workers' rights and, upon his retirement, became a lobbyist for fair treatment of senior citizens. In addition, he gave lectures and interviews regarding the Everett Massacre and wrote short stories. He died due to a heart ailment in 1986 at age 96. He was the last living survivor of the Everett Massacre.